Current curricular trends after the COVID-19 pandemic: A national survey of psychiatry residency programs.

OBJECTIVES: During the COVID-19 pandemic, many psychiatry residencies (academic, community, and hybrid programs) have adopted different learning modalities to preserve a high quality of educational training. There is minimal data on specific program adaptations, related change perspectives, and program type stratification. This study sought to examine trends in curriculum changes in accredited psychiatry residency programs in the United States. METHODS: Program directors of accredited general psychiatry programs in the United States were surveyed to assess both general program details and changes in educational content, delivery, and perspectives with regard to program curricula. RESULTS: A total of 63 program directors out of 264 eligible programs completed the questionnaire (23.9%). There was a significant shift to integrate virtual learning post-pandemic (98.5%) compared to pre-pandemic (3%). However, there was no association between these modality changes and program type (p = 0.13). Furthermore, changes were noted with respect to didactic content (60%), decreased rotation sites (38%), and increased telemedicine exposure (84%) with no change of wellness days (67%) or protected time (97%). Again, the above changes had no association with program type. Use of virtual educational platforms was described as positive (59.7%) with 9 programs noting a future transition to a hybrid learning model for didactics and grand rounds. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that pandemic-related curriculum adaptations occurred in all different types of psychiatry residencies and suggest a national trend to continue virtual educational platforms with regard to psychiatry didactics. However, future investigation of effectiveness of virtual learning programs in psychiatry residencies is warranted.

Peripheral Interleukin-18 is negatively correlated with abnormal brain activity in patients with depression: a resting-state fMRI study.

BACKGROUND: Interleukin-18 (IL-18) may participate in the development of major depressive disorder, but the specific mechanism remains unclear. This study aimed to explore whether IL-18 correlates with areas of the brain associated with depression. METHODS: Using a case-control design, 68 subjects (34 patients and 34 healthy controls) underwent clinical assessment, blood sampling, and resting-state functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI). The total Hamilton depression-17 (HAMD-17) score was used to assess depression severity. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect IL-18 levels. Rest-state fMRI was conducted to explore spontaneous brain activity. RESULTS: The level of IL-18 was higher in patients with depression in comparison with healthy controls. IL-18 was negatively correlated with degree centrality of the left posterior cingulate gyrus in the depression patient group, but no correlation was found in the healthy control group. CONCLUSION: This study suggests the involvement of IL-18 in the pathophysiological mechanism for depression and interference with brain activity.

Haloperidol-induced isolated lingual dystonia.

A 28-year-old woman presenting with agitation and mania with psychotic features developed symptoms of isolated lingual dystonia shortly after the initiation of a haloperidol concentrate regimen.